Falling
by Skogstroll
Summary: Naruto always thought getting bullied in school was a problem but that was before he met Sasuke. Only after meeting Sasuke does he realize what that word really means.
1. Bad day gone bad

Warning: I dont have a spelling program, I dont have a beta reader and this is the first time I ever write down a fanfic.  
Disclamer: I dont own Naruto. If I did, a lot more people would've died a lot faster to make it more realistic.  
Comment: I like sideplots. I like hints. Together with a big plot they make a great story if you dont screw it up. Im really trying not to screw it up, but please, tell me if you think I am about to (or if I have). I prefer constructive critisism above all and while you wont be able to change where the story is going (for Ive had it in my head for months now and even though the details are fuzzy I know where I want to take it and how it will end) Im ok with tips concerning the small things. Ill get a spelling program one of these days too, I promise.

* * *

He still feels the stares on him (it isnt even raining and his hair is STILL wet, so typical) after he's left the schoolyard and walked past the five blocks of city required to reach the place he calls home. A 25 minute distance from school that has filled his senses with traffic noise, people talking to each other and to their cellphones while rushing past because there's some place they have to be, but the echoes are still there.

It wasnt so bad this time... no, it had actually been a very GOOD day because Sakura-chan actually stepped in while the upperclassmen had decided to give him a close up introduction to one of the toilets in the boy's bathroom. She'd made them leave by threatening to call the teachers and actually worried about him afterwards, even escorting him to the nurse's office even though he told her he was okay, really.

Except, when he thinks about it, now they might go after her too. He slows down and thinks that if you dont leave early, school wont end for another three hours and a half. He could go home and shower and change clothes and even get some work done before going back to see she makes it home safely... although he's never seen her leave school alone before, but normally in a group of three or four - he's not a stalker, not really, its not his fault his eyes are drawn to that hair and those eyes and god, that everything like a magnet every time she's around.

Naruto makes a note to check up on her tomorrow, just to make sure. With her connections he isnt sure if anyone would dare touch Sakura, but if you dont know that someone has those connections you might just go out and make mistakes without realising the consequenses they will bring.

- - -

The store is locked when he gets there and a big sign on the inside of the door says "closed", which is a surprise since its only past noon. Rather then leaving the store in the middle of the day, Jiraiya usually make them both work late into the evenings due to the "these are rough times and we need all the money we can get so stop whining and get to work!"-thing. Stupid economical crisis.

After fumblings for the keys in his backpack - they're always at the bottom since he so rarely has to use them - and unlocking the door makes his way inside. Who knows, ninjas can be anywhere, right? And true, his past isnt so bad that someone actually decides to hire assassins to finish him off, but one can never be too careful. They could have Jiraiya tied up in the storage room as a hostage.

There is a note lying on the counter and discreetly checks for any kind of traps before making his way over to read it.

The sloppy handwriting he recognizes too well says that he'll be right back but that there's lunch in the freezer to microwave just in case, to which Naruto raises an eyebrow. He doesnt come back early THAT often... and who need freezers when there's instant ramen anyways?

Then he remembers the reason why he got home in the first place and he walks up to his room on the second floor (but not before checking if Jiraiya is trapped somewhere else in the building, just to be safe). Its small and had until he moved in been an office-turned into extra storage room with view over the side of a garage wall but it has its own connected bathroom and shower that Naruto feels he really needs right now. Upon entering he throws his backpack on the lower of the bunkbeds he uses as dumping ground and begins to strip of his shirt and pants. Before he throws them in the washing bin next to the shower he notices that there's a stinking bulge of black clothing there already and if he's not mistaken the shampoo isnt standing where he left it. To confirm his suspicions, he notices that the shower walls are still damp. The next time he sees him, Naruto decides to tell Jiraiya that he cant let the old mans friends just borrow his bathroom whenever they feel like it. He pays rent damn it!

Naruto cleans himself quickly, for who knows what that old geezers equally old geezer friends have done with his shower? The thought alone makes him a bit dizzy and he agrees that with all the days event, maybe its a good idea to lie down for a few hours. Or at least until Jiraiya comes back and he can give him a piece of his mind. He finds a pair of clean boxers in his dumping ground and thinks that maybe he should start putting his clean laundry in the drawer from now on, after putting a lock on it. And that he maybe should start using a notebook to write down all those things he decides to do and tell people... or does he already have a notebook from before?

While his mind wanders, Naruto crawls up the ladder to his bed and pulls away the blankets to lie down only to realize out he cant because the bed is already occupied and his eyes collide with a dark, emotionless stare.

"Um..." he says and swallows hard. "Hi?"


	2. Welcome to Konoha

When Jiraiya comes back to the shop half an hour later, he finds Naruto sitting by the dining table in the break room, not wearing the school uniform but casual clothing.

Shit.

"There is a guy, sleeping in my bed," the boy says when he walks in. The tone is low and the words seep out slowly. "In my room, the one Im working here to live in."

Shit.

"Um, yea... about that..."

Jiraiya fiddles with the bags in his hands a bit and then lets out a maybe a bit too dramatic sigh.

"Look, Im sorry Naruto, but you were at school and I didnt expect you to be back so soon - the kid looked tired and I figured a few hours of napping would do him good. I was gonna let him sleep in the lower bed, honest! There was just so much trash there I couldnt FIND it, you really have to clean up your mess sometime!"

"But its MY room! And who is that guy anyways?! Doesnt he have his own house to go to? And why the hell do you have to take off like that, leaving the shop unattended?!"

"... Um, where is he anyways?"

"I told you, he's sleeping in my bed!"

"Well, I figured that, if you found out about it, you'd wake him up. He could've been anyone."

Naruto folds his arms and stares at an old fridge located in a corner of the room. If looks could kill it would be melting, Jiraiya thinks as the boy grumbles something inaudible.

"Come again?"

And Naruto glares at him. "I woke him up," he says. "but the fucker just stares at me for a few seconds before grabbing the sheets - MY sheets - and goes back to sleep! And then when I yell at him for telling me who he is and what he's doing in MY room and if he can get the hell out of there before I call the cops, and he just grunts and does nothing at all! Those were my favourite sheets!"

The boy is practically fuming when he continues. "And then I do call Kakasi and ask him what to do and he just laughes at me and tells me to wait for you since you'll be back soon. So. Here I am. Waiting for you to kick him out. Of my sheets."

Jiraiya scratches his hair and realizes that this is going to be a long evening.

- - -

Eventually, Naruto learns that Sasuke, that the bastard is called, is apparently the grandson of Jiraiyas long lost half brother (which he doesnt believe since Jiraiya has never told him he even HAD a brother, but then again there are a lot of things Jiraiya doesnt tell Naruto) and that he will be staying with them for a while. Apparently, Sasuke had an argument with his father and ran away from home and Jiraiya had just gotten in touch with his parents to let him know the kid was alright and work out some kind of arrangemenets to let the boy stay at his place for a while until things calms down. While Naruto accepts the fact that Sasuke is very possibly the runaway kind of person, he doesnt understand why he'd come to Jiraiya of all people.

So before they go to sleep that evening (Naruto lets Sasuke have his bed and the ruined sheets with the motivation that he doesnt want to sleep in the bed someone like that has slept in and then cleans up the mess in the lower bed so he can use it instead) he asks why him? Why Konoha, of all backwater towns to run to? Sasuke had lived in Tokyo. There are no nightclubs here. No nightlife at all, for that matter and you could cross the entire town in an hour and a half by foot.

Sasuke stares at the roof and plays with the dark turtleneck he's wearing that Naruto earlier had recognized as something he'd bought a few years ago for some nightly camoflague occasion. When he'd asked if he could use it, he'd already put it on and Naruto couldnt do anything but give it to him. Bastard.

"I just had to," he says after a few minutes when Naruto has lost all hope of getting an answer. It shocks him, that the guy is actually able to speak such a long sentence because he's barely said a word during the evening after he got woken up for dinner.

Right.

"So..." Naruto tries. "Tomorrow is saturday, no school. Wait, are you going to go to school here? I suppose it depends on how long you'll be staying... how is school in Tokyo? Anyways, since its NOT school tomorrow, maybe we should... maybe I should show you around town?"

"Not intrested," is the reply which makes Naruto glare at the bed above him.

"Fucking welcome to Konoha then," he grumbles.


	3. Morning, officer!

Despite on what had been said the previous day, Naruto tries to convince Jiraiya to help him convince Sasuke to take a tour around town and even though Jiraiya tells him it might not be such a good idea ('cause Sasuke has traveled a long way and is probably still exhausted from the entire mess and you really should let him rest a while, you know?), Naruto doesnt give up.

"He slept the entire afternoon yesterday! And probably the entire morning too, before that... AND the entire night! No one in their right mind can sleep that much!" he points out loudly while slurping down his ramen during lunch hour. "Look, we've worked the entire morning and he's still sleeping through all the noise! If we dont make him do something he'll prolly sleep his way through his, no, my matress and fall down on me in the middle of the night! You cant let him do that! Id break my bones and then I wouldnt be able to work for over a month!"

"And where would he go, huh? Since you didnt do anything but brood all of this yesterday I'm not letting you off the hook tonight, we got customers!"

"Ah, I was thinking... since he's your grandson something and all, that it would... you know... be considered as... work... He IS an asshole, and a normal babysitter would probably ask for more money then what comes out from my hourly pay... you know..."

"I dont think so-ah! Hello there."

When Naruto turns around he sees Kakasi stroll into the store, uniform and everything. Jiraiya nods at him.

"Morning!" Naruto says cheerfully. "I thought you were working today."

"Good morning to you too. And I am... figured I could escape some patrol work by checking in on you guys - how's the kid holding up?"

Naruto stares. "You know about the Sasuke-bastard!?"

Kakashi shrugs.

"Well, its a small town. So, what do you think? Its here he'll be living, right? Jiraiyas apartment isnt the most appropriate place, and its small too."

"But no one asked me what I think! The bastard stole my shampoo and he's gone through my drawers and then he stole my bed too! And he doesnt even let me open the curtains either...! And who knows what else he's been doing?! If anything, you should be arresting him."

"Oh, come on Naruto, the kid's got trouble at home," Jiraiya retorts. "Its not a permanent solution or anything, either, just until we can get things sorted out."

"Yea," Kakashi agrees. "I was the one recomending he stay here too. You'll do fine, you're both the same age. Im sure you'll have a lot of... ah... some, at least, common intrests."

Naruto raises an eyebrow at that and Jiraiya glares at the police officer who starts to scratch his neck.

"What I mean is, he's from Tokyo, right? So, he'll be used to living in the big city. Im sure you can persuade him into feeling at home here though, right, Naruto?"

The boy snorts and starts to explain to Kakashi that he's trying and that he's even offered to show the kid around town but that its obviousy of no use since not even Jiraiya wants to help him convince the bastard that its a good idea which he then explains he thinks is stupid and highly suspicious.

"Well," Kakashi tries. "Sasuke ran away once, right? Maybe Jiraiya wants to make sure he doesnt do it again?"

Naruto looks at the older man who nods approvingly at Kakashi. "That is exactly what I thought," he says. "I just didnt know how to word it. It did sound a little bad when I thought about it."

"Gah, why am I even trying?!"

"You're doing good, Naruto," Kakashi says and puts a hand on his shoulder. "You're doing good... anyhow, what about that thing you were getting me?"

"Oh, right," Jiraiya says and dissapears into the room behind the counter. When he comes back he's got a brown, heavy looking package with him. "Here. Now lets get back to work, brat."

"What's that?" Naruto asks and Kakashi smiles at him.

"Work," he says.

"I thought Jiraiya was retired."

"Mm. Its work for me," Kakashi replies. "Well, have a nice day, you guys. And Naruto, dont let the boy bother you too much, ok?"

"Ill try," Naruto says and waves as Kakashi dissapears out on the street. When Kakashi is no longer visible, Jiraiya reminds Naruto about the work part and after a lot of moaning and complaining, the boy does what he's told.

* * *

_Comment; Sorry for the lack of things happening but there are things I have to introduce and Im not good enough at introducing them and making it exiting at the same time :X Not yet, anyhow. _


	4. Of all the reasons in the world

It all happens by accident.

He only sees it during the moment of a flash but its enough to scar into Narutos brain forever. The door to his - and now Sasuke's - bathroom doesnt have a lock and there is no noise coming from inside so Naruto natrually thinks it is safe to take a leak.

Only it isnt for Sasuke is in there, drying himself from the shower he's had and Naruto quickly closes the door again while apologizing as quickly as he can after ducking his head, pretending that he didnt see anything but he has and its all too late now. Although fading the bruises, multiple and all over his body, make a heavy contrast with the rest of the boy's white skin and Naruto saw them.

Naruto stumbles backwards until he hits the end of his new bed and then his legs cant seem to hold him anymore and he just sits there and stares at the bathroom door. He's been beaten before, he's got his fair share of bruises over the years but not so many so frequently. He's not a doctor or a cop or anything but if there's one thing Naruto knows its bruises and now he finally understands why Sasuke insists on wearing that old turtleneck.

Shit.

Fortyfive minutes later when Sasuke comes out of the bathroom - fully clothed this time - Naruto is still there. Sasuke gives him a midly surprised but still dark glare and grabs the coat Jiraiya gave him the day before.

"You saw nothing," he growls and turns to head out when Naruto speaks.

"Im sorry."

Sasuke stops and Naruto can see how the boy's shoulders tense up under the shirt.

"Its not your fault," Sasuke says. "Dont apologize."

"It isnt yours either, you know?"

"Yeah..."

"Um, you know... its been a few days now, and I notice that you still havent... you know, gone somewhere - the foodstore across the street doesnt count - and I was wondering... Well, maybe I could show you the library or something, at least? Not the whole town, but..."

"The library."

"Yea, or something similar! Maybe not café´s or anything cause I figure you're not the most socializing person, but... I mean, if you're going to stay here for a while at least you should know where you can get stuff to read or something."

"I''ll consider it."

When Sasuke leaves Naruto feels that for the first time, he doesnt mind the other boy being there. He knows he doesnt understand him or that they're best friends or anything but now, at least, he knows why Sasuke is here and he knows that neither of them have a family to return to, even though the reasons might differ. Although Sasuke's family is probably as good as dead for him, so maybe they dont differ much there either.

Later when Naruto walks down to the shop to start working his shift, Jiraiya asks about the giant grin on the boy's face.


End file.
